GAPAN CITY COLLEGE

Gapan City Hall Compound, Bayanihan, Gapan City, N.E.

BASIC ENGLISH COMMUNICATION

SKILLS:
MODULE IN READING

Presented to:

Mr. Rogelio Y. Salvador

Gapan City College
Vice President for Academic Affairs

Presented by:

Mr. Mark Bingbong Dg. Salaysay

Instructor, BECS

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MODULE IN READING
BASIC ENGLISH
MODULE COMMUNICATION
IN READINGMODULE SKILLS
IN READING

SYLLABUS OF INSTRUCTION
2nd Semester A.Y. 2019-2020

VISION

The vision of Gapan City College (GCC) is to become the leader and dominant provider of
quality education in the global market.

MISSION

The global mission of Gapan City College (GCC) is to provide a holistic, quality education in all
levels and disciplines with the objective of producing professionals and leaders responsive to
the need of society and the international community for the honor and glory of God Almighty.

COURSE DESCRIPTION

This course will help the students develop their potentials in listening, speaking, reading and
writing skills to become globally competitive individuals that are ready to join the global
workforce.

COURSE OBJECTIVES

Enable each learner to understand and be understood using the English Language
Build their confidence in entering communicative situations.
Monitor their speech based on input from the environment.

PREREQUISITES: None

REFERENCES:
- Communication Arts 1 (Aleli N. Cornista & Ofelia C. Rayos)
- Google (the references included in the content)
- Merriam Webster

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TABLE OF CONTENTS
BASIC ENGLISH COMMUNICATION SKILLS

1. Introduction
2. Overview of the subject: BECS
3. Lesson I: Review about the Four Macro Skills
4. Lesson II: a. History of Reading
b. What is Reading
5. Lesson III:a. Reading techniques
- Previewing and Overview
- Scanning
- Skimming
b. Previewing
6. Lesson IV: a.Scanning
b. The following steps will help you scan-read meaningfully
7. Lesson V: a. Skimming
b. Skim-reading
- Review reading
- SQ3R (Survey, Question, Read, Recite, and Review)
- Joffe’s Formula
- Mnemonics
c. Four Basic Principles of Mnemonics
8. Lesson VI: a. Reading Comprehension
b. Four Levels of Comprehension
- Literal Level of Comprehension
- Interpretative Level of Comprehension
- Critical Level of Comprehension
- Application Level of Comprehension
9. Lesson VII: a. Critical Level of Comprehension
b. Application Level of Comprehension
10. Quizzes, Activities, and Reading Comprehension

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MODULE IN READING
BASIC ENGLISH COMMUNICATION SKILLS

INTRODUCTION

Overview of the subject:

What is Basic English Communication Skills?

Motivation:
Multiple Intelligence Test by Howard Gardner

LESSON I: FOUR (4) MACRO SKILLS

1. Reading
2. Writing
3. Listening
4. Speaking
5. (Viewing)

Assignment:
Four (4) Macro Skills

LESSON II
A. HISTORY OF READING
B. WHAT IS READING

The history of reading dates back to the invention of writing during the 4th millennium BC.
Although reading print text is now an important way for the general population to access
information, this has not always been the case. With some exceptions, only a small percentage
of the population in many countries was considered literate before the Industrial Revolution.
Some of the pre-modern societies with generally high literacy rates included classical
Athens and the Islamic Caliphate.
Scholars assume that reading aloud (Latin clarelegere) was the more common practice in
antiquity, and that reading silently ( legeretacite or legeresibi) was unusual. In
his Confessions, Saint Augustine remarks on Saint Ambrose's unusual habit of reading silently
in the 4th century AD.
During the Age of Enlightenment, elite individuals promoted passive reading, rather than
creative interpretation. Reading has no concrete laws, but lets readers escape to produce their

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own products introspectively, promoting deep exploration of texts during interpretation. Some
thinkers of that era believed that construction, or the creation of writing and producing a
product, was a sign of initiative and active participation in society—and viewed consumption
(reading) as simply taking in what constructors made.[49] Also during this era, writing was
considered superior to reading in society. They considered readers of that time passive
citizens, because they did not produce a product. Michel de Certeau argued that the elites of
the Age of Enlightenment were responsible for this general belief. Michel de Certeau believed
that reading required venturing into an author's land, but taking away what the reader wanted
specifically. This view held that writing was a superior art to reading within the hierarchical
constraints of the era.
In 18th-century Europe, the then new practice of reading alone in bed was, for a time,
considered dangerous and immoral. As reading became less a communal, oral practice, and
more a private, silent one—and as sleeping increasingly moved from communal sleeping areas
to individual bedrooms, some raised concern that reading in bed presented various dangers,
such as fires caused by bedside candles. Some modern critics, however, speculate that these
concerns were based on the fear that readers—especially women—could escape familial and
communal obligations and transgress moral boundaries through the private fantasy worlds in
books.

Reading – Dechant (1970) defines as the process of giving the significance intented by the
writer to the graphic symbols by relating them to one’s own fund of experience.

Reading – It is the interaction to the symbols and texts

LESSON III
A. THREE (3) READING TECHNIQUES
B. PREVIEWING AND OVERVIEW

Three (3) Reading Techniques

1. Previewing and Overview
2. Scanning
3. Skimming
(Note: Discussing only the meaning of those reading techniques)
Previewing – It is called prereading, this technique enables a reader to examine the material
on the surface and to size up its length, organization, and content before reading it
completely. It also gives the reader a chance to determine his degree of interest or to become
interested in the reading material.

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Previewing can be done in the following manner:

Book
a. Read the title and sub- title, if the latter is available.
b. Examine the publisher’s description of the book.
c. Browse through the preface and other introductory materials.
d. Go over the table of contents and note the chapter titles.
e. Examine the charts, maps, and others typographical aids.
f. Do the same with remaining chapters particularly the conluding chapter.
g. Read quickly chapter summaries or notes.

Essay, news, story, reports, and short stories

a. Read the title of the selection.
b. Go over the introduction or first paragraph.
c. Examine the boldface or highlighted headings and/or boxed ideas or captions.
d. Read the first sentence or paragraph under each sub-headings
e. Peruse typographical aids such as graphs and tables
f. Run briskly through the last sentence or last paragraph of the article.

LESSON IV
A. SCANNING
B. FOLLOWING STEPS WILL HELP YOU SCAN-READ MEANINGFULLY

Scanning – Reader examines a text to be able to obtain only a single information, e.g., date,
name of a person, number, and the like. The reading technique employed to attain the
purpose is scanning. Like skimming, scanning is virtually selective reading since the reader
skips most of the lines and words in the selection as he searches for the particular information
that he needs. The eyes move fast from the page to the bottom as the reader looks for clues
to the desired information, i.e. the words or phrases in the environment of the specific
information which will give away the fact being located.
The following steps will help you scan-read meaningfully:

1. Be clear about the specific information you wish to locate. For beginners, it is the best to
state the needed information in question forms.

2. Anticipate how the information will look like. Will it be in number, name of street, a specific
term, or a professional like.

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3. Determine the clues in the environment of the word or number that wil most likely help you
to locate the information.

4. Examine the organization of the reading selection to facilitate your search for the desired
data. It is the organization of the idea which wioll largely enable you to pinpoint the location of
the information. It is the beginning of the paragraph, in the middle or in the last part.

5.Refers to the headings, sub-headings, paragraph captions, and the book’s table of content.
They will serve as helpful guide in your search.

6. Read selectively: do not read all the words. Glide rapidly from one line to the next line,
skipping most of the text, until you find the clue(s) to the information and, eventually, the
data you need. You may read from left to right, from right to left, from top to bottom, or to
bottom to top until you find the information you desire.

7. When you think you have found the information, read carefully the sentence in which it is
found to confirm your answer.

LESSON 5
A. SKIMMING
B. SKIM-READING
C. FOUR BASIC PRINCIPLES OF MNEMONICS

Skimming – This technique in reading focuses attention on the main idea of a paragraph or a
longer discourse. The reader runs through the selection as fast as he can, skipping some of
the words particularly the function words, with the end in view of grasping its central though,
familiarizing himself with the main topics and ideas presented or determining the mood of the
selection.

Skim –reading
The reader who employs this technique uses skimming as an end itself. He is interested only in
the main idea(s) contained in the reading material without concern for the details. His primary
purpose is to obtain an overall impression of the selection.

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The following procedure may be followed for effective skim- reading (McWhorter
362)

1. Review reading
When one reads a material to be able to remember the information therein, he employs the
technique called review reading. The technique is in itself a study skill since it involves a
procedure which enhances the ability to store and retrieve information.

2. The SQ3R Method - The SQ3R Method involves the following steps:

Survey: This step is the same as preread skimming or previewing. When you are given a
material to read, it will be good to get a general view of it first. Read the title, headings,
paragraph captions and other leads to give you an idea of the entire material. If the selection
is not longer than three pages and does not contain subheadings, numbering the paragraphs
will help you survey the material before skim – reading each paragragh. If a summary is
available, reading it first will give you a good grasp of the key points in the selection.

Question: The next step is to change the titles and headings to question form. This process
will help you to think more critically about the topic and will enable you to retain the details
longer.

Read: When you have transformed all the titles to questions, you are ready to read. If the
materials is light or if you have been given specific question to answer, you may scan the
paragraphs. If, however, the text is loaded and the assigned output is a summary or a
critique, you have to read thoroughly and critically and understand what you are reading. Take
down key ideas and unfamiliar words which seem to be essential to the meaning of a passage.

Recite: For long texts, stop after going through a section then recite the main ideas under
each heading. If you can not recall what you have read, go back to the section, read, then try
to answer the question(s) again.

For the short texts, stop reading after going through the first page, then state aloud the main
ideas which you have encountered on the page. Do the same thing for the succeeding pages.

Review: When you have finished reading the entire material, review everything that you have
read. Skim over the chapter title and headings and ask yourself what they mean and what
have read about them. Answer the questions you have formulated earlier. If you fail, go back

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to the text. This step in the process is also the time for you to answer the questions at the end
of the chapter or the selesction or those assigned by the teacher.

3. Joffe’s Formula – Another formula is suggested by Joffe (1984:175)

Have a specific purpose when you read:

a. Associate - Relate ideas to each other

b. Visualize - Try to see pictures in your mind as you read
c. Concentrate - Having a specific purpose, associating and visualizing will help you focus
on the materials.
d. Repeat - Keep telling yourself important points and associate details with these points.

4. MNEMONICS
Some people are gifted with superior memory, a gift which gives them the ability to easily
memorize unheard of terms, a long list of names, or cluster of numbers. Others are able to do
a similar feat with the aid of a memory technique called mnemonics. Mnemonics is a kind of
memory system involving techniques that avoid rote learning. The superiority of the mnemonic
technique over rote learning has been found in a considerable number of researches.

Adams and Brody (1991) forward the following four (4) basic principles of
mnemonics:

a. Use mental pictures – exert effort to turn into mental pictures the information that you
read.
b. Make things meaningful – long-term memory is possible only if the information is
meaningful to the reader. Try your best to give meaning to unfamiliar words by using contexr
clues.
c. Make information familiar – link known to the unknown. Establish connection between
what you are already familiar with and the new information or associate it with what you can
easily recall.
d. Form unusual or exaggerated mental associations – in creating mental associations,
you will find the bizarre, unusual or exaggerated associations to be easier to recall.

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LESSON VI
A. READING COMPREHENSION
B. FOUR LEVELS OF COMPREHENSION
- LITERAL LEVEL OF COMPREHENSION
- INTERPRETATIVE LEVEL OF COMPREHENSION

Reading Comprehension - as explained in the beginning of the chapter, the central

purpose of reading is comprehension. Visual configuration without comprehension is no
reading at all.

There are four (4) levels of comprehension, namely: literal, interpretative, critical,
and application.

1. Literal comprehension – it refers to the acquisition of meaning of ideas or information

that are explicity stated in the text. This level of comprehension, which does not involve
inferring, comes to use in newspaper reading or news watching or in other similar situation
when the reader wants to know what happed to whom on what day or what time and why. It
requires the reader’s attention to some details which contribute to a general understanding of
the text.

Some specific reading skills at the literal level of comprehension are: identifying specific
information or noting details, sequencing ideas when explicit sequence signal are given, and
following instructions. These skills, specially the first two, are scanning skills.

The following illustrations exemplify the specific reading skills just cited.

a. Identifying specific information – This skill requires one to focus his attention only on
one or some particularly information or detail which he needs from a text; the rest of the text
may not be read anymore. That information may be a name, a date, a specifis term, or place
or just anything, the search for which motivates the person to read. In looking for the details,
the reader must look for signals in the environment of the needed information or in the
information itself. The reading pace has to be fast since the purpose is not to understand the
whole text but merely to pick out one or two specific details.

b. Sequencing events or ideas – meaningful reading results from the reader’s ability to
follow of thought of the writer. This is so because any discourse is made up of words and
sentences which are not only grammatically linked to one another, but are also logically

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related and sequenced. The reader’s ability to grasp the sequence of ideas as presented by
the writer enables him to summarize, outline, and infer correctly.

2. Interpretative Level Comprehension – Sometimes, an information or concept is not

explicitly stated in a text so that the reader has to go through the process if inferring beyond
the literal meaning. This is the interpretative level or the “thinking side” of comprehension
(Tinker & Cullough, 1968) Interpretation is reading or getting meaning between the lines
which requires the reader’s sensitivity to clues and the ability to link these clues to his own
experience to arrive at the new information (Romero & Romero 78) It is mentally exploring
and taking position in relation to the facts and related details. When the reader does this he in
inferring.

Some specific reading skills at the interpretative level of comprehension are:

identifying the main idea, inferring character traits, forming conclusion,
anticipating or predicting an action and drawing implications.

a. Identifying the main idea (implied) – reders to the central meaning, the focal point or
the thesis of a sentence or discourse. It is the most important thing that an author wants to
say. In many instances, the main idea is expressed; it may be the first, the middle or the last
sentence of a paragraph. Sometimes, however, it is not obvious, i.e., it is implied through the
details that comprise the paragraph.but whatever manner it is presented, it has to be sought
through the process of skimming, or going through the entire text rapidly but purposively.

b. Forming conclusions – is a judgement inferred from evidence. It is drawn from the

formation given in text and is usually stated in the manner of a theory or a general statement
about the subject. As in any other kind of inference, a conclusion must be based solely on the
given evidences and not on any extraneous details or assumptions. A conclusion differs from
a main idea in that it is a deduction from the main idea, not a restatement of it.

c. Drawing implications – there are times when a notion is not expressly stated but is
merely suggested. For example, a person you are calling on at 9 o’clock in the evening may
open the conversation by saying that he just arrived from a whole-day trip in barrio which only
a cow-drawn could reach. Or a visitor who calls on you at 8 o’clock in the morning cpmplains
of a grumbling stomach and nausea.

d. Drawing inferences – The written text provides explicit information which, for the most
part, is taken at its face value. From this information, the reader may find ideas that are

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suggested, implied or hinted at; he may draw conclusions and formulate generalizations based
on them.

e. Predicting outcomes – some texts, especially fiction articles, leave the ending open to
the interpretation of the reader. However, enough clue is provided him in the text implying the
outcome that the writer wants him to foretell. This skill of predicting outcomes is very closely
related to the skill of formulating conclusions, generalization and implications and is as
important as them.

LESSON VII
FOUR LEVEL OF COMPREHENSION
- CRITICAL LEVEL OF COMPREHENSION
- APPLICATION LEVEL OF COMPREHENSION

3. Critical level of comprehension – the principal focus of this level of comprehension is

the aspect of evaluation. Critical level of comprehension is the judgement of validity or worth
of what is read or heard, based on sound criteria of standards developed through previous
experiences (Harries & Hodges 1981, citing Robinson 1970) It is an act of listening or reading
in which a questioning attitude, logical analysis, and inference are used to judge the worth of
what is read according to an established standard. In short, it is reading beyond the lines.
Among the identified skills in this level are making judgements of:

a. the auhor’s intent or purpose;

b. the accuracy, logic, reliability, and authenticity of the writing;

c. the author’s point of view;

d. his language;

e. his style of presentation;

f. the appropriacy of the literary and expository devices he uses to attain his purpose;

g. distinguishing a fact from an opinion, a conclusion from a hypothesis, etc.

4. Application level of comprehension – as suggested by the term, this level of

comprehension goes beyond the three levels and culminates in the application of listening or
reading to practical situations. For example, one reads a how-to-do-it text to be able to really
create something, or reads the directions and the information asked for in an income tax form

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to be able to fill it up properly and accurately. Application comprehension is also referred to as

functional comprehension.

Using context clues – The best source of meanings of word is the unabridged dictionary.
Considering its bulk, however, it will not be easy for a reader to bring it along everywhere he
goes. In most instances, he will have to rely on his own stock of vocabulary to understand
most if not all of what he reads. He can also deduce the meaning of an unfamiliar word by
analyzing the environment, called the context, in which the word is used. Context clues are
words or expressions that hint at the meaning of a word. Being able to grasp the meaning of a
word through them is a skill which is a must for every listener or reader, particularly a college
student, to develop since it is a tool which will enable him to function independently,
meaningfully and profitably in life.

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QUIZ NO. 1
READING SKILLS
I. IDENTIFICATION

1. It is a process of giving the significance intented by the writer to the graphic symbols by
relating them to one’s own fund of experience.
2. It is the interaction to the symbols and texts.
3. It is called prereading, this technique enables a reader to examine the material on the
surface and to size up its length, organization, and content before reading it completely.
4. Reader examines a text to be able to obtain only a single information, e.g., date, name of a
person, number, and the like.
5. This technique in reading focuses attention on the main idea of a paragraph or a longer
discourse.
6. This technique is in itself a study skill since it involves a procedure which enhances the
ability to store and retrieve information.
7. In Joffe’s formula: It is seeing the pictures in your mind as you read. What is it?
8. In Joffe’s formula: It is having a specific purpose, associating and visualizing will help you
focus on the materials.
9. It is a kind of memory system involving techniques that avoid rote learning.
10. It is relating the ideas to each other.

II. ENUMERATION

1– 4 Four Macro Skills

5– 8 Skim-reading
9– 13 What are stands for SQ3R
14. What is the meaning of BECS?
15. What is the full name of your instructor in BECS?

III. ESSAY

1. What is the purpose of BECS?

2. What is preview?
3. What is the difference between scanning and skimming?

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ACTIVITY I
READING COMPREHENSION

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ACTIVITY II
READING COMPREHENSION

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ACTIVITY III
READING COMPREHENSION

Instruction: Read the short story and get the moral lesson of the story.

Reference: http://www.thestarfishstory.com

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ACTIVITY IV
READING COMPREHENSION

Instruction: Read the short story and get the moral lesson of the story.

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R
eference: http://www.thetomatostory.com

ACTIVITY V
READING COMPREHENSION

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Stone Soup – Mark BS

A kindly, old stranger was walking through the land when he came upon a village.  As
he entered, the villagers moved towards their homes locking doors and windows.
The stranger smiled and asked, why are you all so frightened. I am a simple traveler,
looking for a soft place to stay for the night and a warm place for a meal.
"There's not a bite to eat in the whole province," he was told. "We are weak and our
children are starving. Better keep moving on."
"Oh, I have everything I need," he said. "In fact, I was thinking of making some stone
soup to share with all of you." He pulled an iron cauldron from his cloak, filled it with water,
and began to build a fire under it.
Then, with great ceremony, he drew an ordinary-looking stone from a silken bag and
dropped it into the water.
By now, hearing the rumor of food, most of the villagers had come out of their homes
or watched from their windows.  As the stranger sniffed the "broth" and licked his lips in
anticipation, hunger began to overcome their fear.
"Ahh," the stranger said to himself rather loudly, "I do like a tasty stone soup.  Of
course, stone soup with cabbage -- that's hard to beat."
Soon a villager approached hesitantly, holding a small cabbage he'd retrieved from its
hiding place, and added it to the pot.
"Wonderful!!" cried the stranger. "You know, I once had stone soup with cabbage and a
bit of salt beef as well, and it was fit for a king."
The village butcher managed to find some salt beef . . .  And so it went, through
potatoes, onions, carrots, mushrooms, and so on, until there was indeed a delicious meal for
everyone in the village to share.
The villager elder offered the stranger a great deal of money for the magic stone, but
he refused to sell it and traveled on the next day.
As he left, the stranger came upon a group of village children standing near the road.
He gave the silken bag containing the stone to the youngest child, whispering to a group, "It
was not the stone, but the villagers that had performed the magic."
Reference: http://www.stonesoup.com
GUIDE QUESTIONS:
1. Who is the author?
2. Who is/are the character/s in the story?
3. Who is/are the main character/s?
4. Where did the story happen?
5. What is the moral lesson of the short story?
6. What is the main theme of the story?
7. What is the meaning of the title: Stone Soup?
QUIZ NO. 2
READING COMPREHENSION
The Rainbow Fish By Marcus Pfister (1992)

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A long way out in the deep blue sea there lived a fish. Not just an ordinary fish, but the most
beautiful fish in the entire ocean. His scales were every shade of blue and green and purple, with
sparkling silver scales among them. The other fish were amazed at his beauty. The called him Rainbow
Fish. “Come on, Rainbow Fish,” they would call. “Come and play with us!” But the Rainbow Fish would
just glide past, proud and silent, letting his scales shimmer.
One day, a little blue fish followed after him. “Rainbow Fish,” he called, “wait for me! Please
give me one of you shiny scales. They are so wonderful, and you have so many.” “You want me to give
you one of special scales? Who do you think you are?” cried the Rainbow Fish. “Get away from me!”
Shocked, the little blue fish swam away. He was so upset; he told all his friends what had happened.
From then on, no one would have anything to do with the Rainbow Fish. They turned away when he
swam by.
What good were the dazzling, shimmering scales with no one to admire them? Now he was the
loneliest fish in the entire ocean. One day he poured out his troubles to the starfish. “I really am
beautiful. Why doesn’t anybody like me?” “I can’t answer that for you,” said the starfish. “But if you go
beyond the coral reef to a deep cave you will find the wise octopus. Maybe she can help you.” The
Rainbow Fish found the cave.
It was very dark inside and he couldn’t see anything. Then suddenly two eyes caught him in
their glare and the octopus emerged from the darkness. “I have been waiting for you,” said the
octopus with a deep voice. “The waves have told me your story. This is my advice. Give a glittering
scale to each of the other fish. You will no longer be the most beautiful fish in the sea, but you will
discover how to be happy.” “I can’t…” the Rainbow Fish started to say, but the octopus had already
disappeared into a dark cloud of ink.
Give away my scales? My beautiful shining scales? Never. How could I ever be happy without
them? Suddenly he felt the light touch of a fin. The little blue fish was back! “Rainbow Fish, please,
don’t be angry. I just want one little scale.” The Rainbow Fish wavered. Only one very very small
shimmery scale, he thought. Well maybe I wouldn’t miss just one. Carefully the Rainbow Fish pulled
out the smallest scale and gave it to the little fish. “Thank you! Thank you very much!” The little blue
fish bubbled playfully, as he tucked the shiny scale in among his blue ones. A rather peculiar feeling
came over the Rainbow Fish.
For a long time he watched the little blue fish swim back and forth with his new scale glittering
in the water. The little blue fish whizzed through the ocean with his scale flashing, so it didn’t take long
before the Rainbow Fish was surrounded by the other fish. Everyone wanted a glittering scale. The
Rainbow Fish shared his scales left and right. And the more he gave away, the more delighted he
became. When the water around him filled with glimmering scales, he at last felt at home among the
other fish. Finally the Rainbow Fish had only one shining scale left. His most prized possessions had
been given away, yet he was very happy. “Come on Rainbow Fish,” they called. “Come and play with
us!” “Here I come,” said the Rainbow Fish and happy as a splash, he swam off to join his friends.
Reference: http://www.therainbowfish.com
GUIDE QUESTIONS:
1. Who is the author? 5. What is the moral lesson of the short story?
2. Who is/are the character/s in the story? 6. What is the main theme of the story?
3. Who is/are the main character/s? 7. What is the meaning of the title: The Rainbow Fish?

Basic English Communication Skills – Module in Reading Page 21